Trump's Latest Target

Donald Trump is losing his mind over the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

He has declared that the new bridge at the Windsor-Detroit crossing will not be allowed to open until Canada agrees to pay back the United States for unfairly ripping them off.

It’s a bizarre claim.

The $6.4 billion bridge was paid for by the people of Canada, even though it will be of enormous benefit to American industry. Canada put the money up front with a plan to recoup the costs over time through tolls.

Were we suckers for putting such a deal on the table?
Or was that just being a good neighbour?

Trump’s arguments against the bridge sound deranged. He claims that we wouldn’t allow U.S. steel or products to be used. This is a falsehood. The steel, cement, wiring, etc, on the American side of the bridge was made in the United States, creating a huge number of jobs for American workers.

Trump has stated:

“I will not allow the bridge to be open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them.”

In addition to building the bridge, Canadian taxpayers paid $800 million to connect the port entry at Detroit to the U.S. highway interchange. We even paid for the highway off-ramps so American trucks can get to the bridge.

Once the bridge opens, the federal U.S. Department of Transportation is committed to providing 50 cents on the dollar to Michigan to maintain these connections. That represents a further $400 million in gifts to the Michigan side, on top of the $800 million from Canada.

So who is getting ripped off here?

It is impossible that Trump has only become aware of the bridge deal now. The deal went through during his first presidency. The United States has been involved in the bridge planning from the get-go.

I spoke with sources on the Canadian side who confirm that there have been extensive design meetings with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ICE, Homeland Security, police, the Coast Guard, first responders, and the State of Michigan to ensure that the bridge meets the highest safety standards.

All of those agencies will live rent-free on the bridge built by Canada.

In the Windsor-Detroit border region, people have been looking at the bridge as a symbol. For many, it represents a shared future – a commitment to restoring open trade and trust between our two countries. Perhaps this is why Trump has led such a virulent and bizarre attack on the bridge.

But others see the new bridge as a white elephant.

The Government of Canada entered into a P3 construction deal, and there have been massive delays and cost overruns. Some suggest that, given the dramatically changing trade relations and the huge drop in traffic at all major border crossings, we might never recoup our money.

Bridges and border-crossing infrastructure are highly significant strategic assets. No asset is more vital than the bridge over the Detroit River.

Every year, $700 billion in trade crosses the Detroit River on a bridge privately controlled by an American oligarch. If the oligarch shuts the bridge, there would be little we could do about it.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge gives Canada a much stronger stake in controlling cross-border trade. Trump understands this. He has been actively undermining trade with Canada while threatening our sovereignty. Little wonder he is focusing on the bridge.

It may well be that Trump is threatening Canada to satisfy the oligarch competitor. If so, the bridge would become symbolic of the gangster shakedown politics of the United States.

In 2018, it seemed like the logical choice to name the bridge for Gordie Howe. He was both a Canadian hero, “Mr. Elbows,” and a big part of Detroit’s storied sports history.

In the face of the escalating threats from the United States, the Gordie Howe legacy has become increasingly meaningful to Canadians. We have reclaimed him as our symbol.

And given Trump’s latest rant and threats, we will need that Elbows Up spirit more than ever.

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